Fr Arturo Sosa SJ visited the Matteo Ricci Jesuit College in Brussels on 19 September. The establishment, which opened in 2019, illustrates the EOF Province’s commitment to fostering social inclusion amid diversity among students while offering them an innovative pedagogy rooted in Jesuit education.

As part of his visit to the Jesuit Province of French-speaking Western Europe (EOF), Father General, Arturo Sosa, made a stop at the Matteo Ricci College in Brussels on 19 September. The school which opened in September 2019 thanks to the commitment of motivated lay people and the EOF Province, currently accommodates about 650 students. It is located in the northwest of Brussels, in a multicultural district, and is the tenth Jesuit college in French-speaking Belgium.

The school’s name refers to Matteo Ricci, a 16^th Century Italian Jesuit who spent most of his life in China. He was admitted to the Chinese imperial court, and is known as “the apostle of inculturation”. In keeping with this spirit, Anne L’Olivier, the school’s director affirms that “one of the aims of this school is to approach the culture of others, respecting it and exchanging best practices. We experience a rich social and cultural mix”.

As part of the network of Jesuit schools in French-speaking Belgium, the school is experimenting with 21^st-century Jesuit pedagogy through innovative practices. For example, Classes are held over a 90-minute period - a format that allows for a variety of classroom activities and experiences (reading and reflection, workshops, discussion and information-sharing circles, civic activities, etc.). A system of “bottom-up evaluation” allows students to grow in knowledge, while allowing them to learn from their errors. Every day, the 4 “C’s” of Jesuit pedagogy (Conscience, Competence, Compassion, Commitment) guide and empower students.

As in all Jesuit schools, religion has its place in teaching and education. “We propose to explore the rites and sacred festivals of the great monotheistic religions. The aim is to broaden knowledge, not only of the Catholic religion, but also of what my Jewish, Muslim or other friend is experiencing”, explains Anne L’Olivier.

The project for a new Jesuit college in Marseille’s northern districts is part of this same dynamic. Collège Loyola Marseille, which is currently under construction, will open its doors in September 2025. It will be the 16^th Jesuit school in France and the 3^rd in Marseille. With this new school, the Jesuits wish to share the quality of their educational offering with young people from Marseilles from families living in the city’s northern districts, promoting social diversity and diversity of student origin. As with all Jesuit schools in France, tuition fees will be based on income, and should not be an obstacle to enrolment.

With 37,000 students enrolled in 24 schools under Jesuit care, education is clearly a priority for the EOF Province. The Ignatian pedagogy at the heart of these institutions encourages students to give the best of themselves, in line with the 3^rd Universal Apostolic Preference: “Accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future”. Educating for hope, educating for reconciliation, educating for depth and interiority, opening up to the world thanks to integral ecology where everything is linked: these are all fields that Christians need to invest in, both pedagogically and educationally. More than ever, innovation is essential if we want the old adage of Jesuit Father Juan Bonifacio (1572) to retain its full relevance: “To educate youth is to change the world!”

A key challenge is to maintain the spirit of Saint Ignatius and the educational charism of the Society of Jesus, despite the limited presence of Jesuits in schools today. Ignatian pedagogy is primarily upheld by laypeople, who play a crucial role in embodying the Society’s spirit within educational settings. It is in this regard that the “Semaines jésuites” were launched in 2017 in order to provide a lively, fun and accessible contact with the Society of Jesus. During this event which takes place for one week, around twenty Jesuits from all over the Province meet students and the educational community of a Jesuit school.